Weather

Study says calls for more housing choices for people with mental illness, drug addiction

Vancouver, BC, Canada / (CKNW AM) AM980

June 27, 2014 08:43 am

Despite barriers like cost of living or proximity to our workplaces, many of us have a choice on where we want to live. But that’s not the case for everyone.

Catharine Hume with the Mental Health Commission of Canada says the benefits of having that choice are a key finding in a five-year study that housed 500 people with mental illness and drug addictions in apartments scattered throughout Vancouver.

“The vast majority of people who have experienced homelessness – in some cases for very long periods of time – they have mental health issues, have substance abuse issues, have other issues in their lives. They are able to stabilize and maintain in housing of choice.”

Hume says the stigma that street people are “hopeless” needs to be replaced with a responsibility to offer more housing choices.

Comments

This subject has been studied ad infinitum , ad nauseum and the only result is to dump money into the pockets of the researchers. The best solution at hand is to reopen Riverview and use the $ 1 million a day being wasted in the downtown east side to finance what these people need.

Many of those who could not look after themselves were housed and cared for at RIVERVIEW Hospital. IF and when improved they were reinserted to society.
Then RIverview was CLOSED and all those people got dumped on the street. Now the poverty industy is providing jobs for poverty pimps. Then there’s burgeonic bureaucracy making an industry of it without helping those who are in dire need. As it was shown wilt management of the Portland Hotel Society unfortunately funds are not reaching those who are most inneed of help. Murray got it right but will the need of those mentally handicapped override government’s interest to sell that proprty that became vary valuable realestate where Riverview buildings are located?

There are 2 sides to this story , ! the cost of houseing , is unafordable , and out of reach for the down and outer , 2 Some of these are verry hard to house , and if you do try to help some of them out , like this guy I rented a cheep room to , hopeing he could get back on his feet , but no , along comes the booze and drugs , and the wet brain . he stiffed me for $500 , So I tried and failed , but I havent given up on others .